Shloka 39

ऋषभचरित्रवर्णनम् (Ṛṣabha-caritra-varṇanam) — “Account of Ṛṣabha’s Sacred Narrative”

Devanagari script

सोऽवतारो विधे मे हि ऋषभाख्यस्सुयोगकृत् । सारस्वतव्यासमनः कर्त्ता नानोतिकारकः

Transliteration

so'vatāro vidhe me hi ṛṣabhākhyassuyogakṛt | sārasvatavyāsamanaḥ karttā nānotikārakaḥ

Translation

హే విధే (బ్రహ్మా), నా ఆ అవతారం ‘ఋషభ’ అనే నామంతో ప్రసిద్ధి, పరమ యోగశాసనాన్ని స్థాపించువాడు. అతడు సారస్వత-వ్యాస పరంపర యొక్క కర్త; అతని మనస్సు స్థిరం, హానికరమైన లేదా అతిక్రమణకరమైన కార్యాలలో లీనమవడు।

Word by Word

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अवतारः: incarnation/descent
• अवतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विधे: O Ordainer/Creator (Vidhi)
• विधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• ऋषभाख्यः: (one) named Ṛṣabha
• ऋषभाख्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक); आख्य = ‘named’
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘ऋषभ-आख्य’ = ‘named Ṛṣabha’

• सुयोगकृत्: maker of good yoga / one who performs excellent yoga
• सुयोगकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुयोग + कृ (धातु) → कृत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun/participle-like), ‘कृ’ धातु; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सुयोगं करोति’

• सारस्वतव्यासमनः: having the mind of Sārasvata Vyāsa
• सारस्वतव्यासमनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारस्वत + व्यास + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सारस्वत-व्यासस्य मनः’ (mind of Sārasvata Vyāsa)

• कर्त्ता: doer/agent
• कर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-कर्तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृ-शब्द (agent noun)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• अनुतिकारकः: one who causes no harm / not a harmer (negated by ‘न’)
• अनुतिकारकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुति + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘अनुतिं करोति’/‘अनुतिकारक’ = one who causes harm/affliction (reading per given text)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Rishabha

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse presents Shiva as Pati (the Lord) who compassionately manifests an avatāra to establish su-yoga—right discipline of mind and conduct—so the bound soul (paśu) can move toward liberation through purity, steadiness, and dharma.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By describing Shiva’s avatāra as a teacher of yoga and ethical restraint, the verse supports Saguna Shiva worship: devotees approach Shiva (including in Linga form) through mantra, meditation, and regulated living, which mature devotion into inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is su-yoga: daily mantra-japa (e.g., Panchakshara), meditation with a steady mind, and strict non-harm/ethical restraint—practices commonly paired with Shaiva observances such as bhasma (Tripundra) and disciplined vrata on Mahashivratri.